Where does “flóðhestur” come from?

flóðhestur (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic flóð, from Old Norse flóð, from Proto-Germanic flōduz, from Proto-Indo-European plōw-, from Proto-Indo-European plew- — to fly, flow, run.

flóðhestur (Icelandic): hippopotamus, hippo

Definitions

  1. hippopotamus, hippo

Ancestry of “flóðhestur”, step by step

flóðhestur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic flóð

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicflóðflood, deluge, inundation; high tide
2Old Norseflóðflood; stream, river, flood, massive flow of...
3Proto-Germanicflōduzriver; flood
4Proto-Indo-Europeanplōw-to flow, swim; to pour, wash
5Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run

via Icelandic hestur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandichestura horse; a horse, a pommel horse, a vaulting...
2Old Norsehestrhorse
3Proto-Germanichangistazhorse, stallion
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱanḱest-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European plōw- →Every word from Proto-Germanic flōduz →